World Cup Qualifying: Players to Watch and Predictions for USA vs. Mexico

The United States vs. Mexico in World Cup qualifying. It doesn't get much better than this in our part of the world, and this latest installment should give us plenty to analyze as we head into a break from international football (after Matchday 8 next week, of course).

Mexico tops the Octagonal on 14 points from its opening six matches (four wins, two draws), and the United States, for all its struggles, is in second with 11 points (three wins, two draws, one loss). While it may not have started the way we all thought with the USA struggling in two straight draws to open qualifying, things are now closer to what the initial predictions suggested, given the talent breakdown in the standings.

Canada, a burgeoning talent in the region, rounds out the top three on 10 points ahead of its upcoming fixtures against Costa Rica and El Tri.

The main focus of this round is Friday night at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium where the visiting Mexican side will take on Gregg Berhalter's USMNT. To get set for the fixture, one that has a ton of history and intrigue surrounding it, we'll breakdown some of the players to watch and predict the outcome. 

He's the name on everyone's lips in the U.S. men's national team camp. The 18-year-old FC Dallas sensation has lit it up for Berhalter and Co. since declaring for the USA earlier this year. In his four appearances, he's notched three goals and two assists. He has been integral to three USMNT victories in the Octagonal. Pepi opted to declare for the USA over Mexico, a decision that he's embraced.

With FCD's season over after failing to qualify for the MLS playoffs, Pepi may have played his last match for the Dallas club, given the interest from numerous clubs abroad. His focus will be on facing Mexico, and he should feature for Berhalter from the jump, given the news that Christian Pulisic will be coming off the bench.

His excellent movement, vision and eye for goal inside the area have helped him to 13 goals in MLS this season. He's developing into a well-rounded forward with poachers instincts.

Despite his excellent start, Pepi isn't getting too far ahead of himself.

"I feel like as a national team player, you always have to prove yourself," Pepi said on Tuesday. "You don't have a spot saved for the team, you don't have a starting spot that's always going to be there for you."

Scoring against Mexico would go a long way in securing that spot for the foreseeable future, with the 2022 World Cup (should the USA qualify) right around the corner.

Lozano has had a solid season for Napoli, having contributed two goals and two assists in 12 Serie A matches. He's added a Europa League goal for good measure and will be a focal point of the Mexico attack in Cincinnati.

El Tri boss Tata Martino favors a 4-3-3 formation, and this has pushed Lozano into the wider channels. Working outside in, Lozano causes problems for opposing defenses with his ability to slip between markers and create chaos in the area. His smart running and attacking flair are unmatched between the two sides, except for maybe Pulisic and at only 26 (yes he's still only 26), Lozano has a lot of years of tormenting USMNT defenses ahead of him.

Chucky, who has 15 goals and 11 assists in 51 caps, will be tasked with breaking down a relatively inexperienced reaguard of the USA, which only has one player with over 25 caps (DeAndre Yedlin, 69) and three over 20 (Yedlin, Reggie Cannon, 22 and Walker Zimmerman, 20). Lozano's ability to create opportunities from nothing could be key in what is hoped will be a hostile atmosphere at TQL Stadium.

Out for most of the summer with injury, Zack Steffen is healthy again, has a new contract at Manchester City and will be starting against Mexico in one of the biggest matches of his professional career.

Berhalter announced Steffen will get the nod over Matt Turner of the Supporters' Shield-winning New England Revolution. It's somewhat surprising as Turner has been outstanding for the national team in his dozen appearances, including five clean sheets in this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Steffen has the chance to reassert his claim to the No. 1 spot in goal, which some people feel he is more than capable of achieving. Should he play up to his ability and prove Berhalter correct, he'll likely be a lock through the rest of qualifying ahead of Turner.

An error that leads to a Mexico goal would be a different story, and with it would be a goalkeeper controversy that the decision to start him over the hot-hand in Turner laid the groundwork for.

At the other end of the pitch is Guillermo Ochoa, a goalkeeper who is far from a positional battle, even at 36 years old. This will be a huge match for the Club America shot-stopper for a few reasons.

Firstly, Ochoa is very comfortable with his place within the USA-Mexico universe, as he should be having made 120 appearances for El Tri. So much so that he had some pointed words regarding the USMNT this week in the lead up to the match. While there is truth to the sentiment here, the USA does a lot that Mexico does not. Even after a very successful summer for the red, white and blue, the 'keeper is confident enough to suggest that his opposition envies El Tri. He has to back that talk up on CONCACAF's biggest stage.

This is less of an issue for Ochoa, however, as players talk trash. What should be more concerning for the veteran is the teammates playing in front of him and how they can keep things together in Cincy.

The center back pairing Martino picks to defend Ochoa's goal will be relatively new to playing with each other, despite having a European club pedigree to lean on. Johan Vasquez and the experienced Hector Moreno will be called upon to keep Pepi and the rest of the USA attack out of Ochoa's way, but it will be on the 36-year-old to keep them organized and aware of the emerging threats presented by the youthful American forward line.

This match could be more open than people expect with Mexico gunning for the big advantage in the Octagonal (with the return fixture at the Azteca set for late March) that would all-but assure them a top-three finish.

As for the U.S., continuing to gel and overcoming a slow start in qualifying with a huge win vs. Mexico would be the best-case scenario. The momentum from a quality result here could propel it through the rest of qualifying toward a return to the World Cup after a horrific absence from the tournament in 2018.

Despite solid pushes from both sides, a draw would be sufficient with the anticipation for March's contest only rising as we approach the new year.